I'm a Ph.D. student and instructor at Colorado State University. I write about users and the frustrations and joys of our digital lives. In addition to Forbes, I have written for The New Yorker, New York, Salon, National Catholic Reporter, Native American Times, and The Kansas City Star.

My Paywall #2: Netflix Streaming Issues Actually Made Me More Loyal

NOTE: The Internet has radically changed our notion of value for content and services. So when we pay for access to a site, an app, or any other kind of digital service, there’s usually a good reason for it. This is a monthly series in which I will examine my reasons behind paying for certain content and services, including those for which I choose to donate money. See the previous entry here.

My Personal Paywall #2: Netflix.com

Content or Service: Entertainment Streaming

I pay: $7.99/month

Why do I pay?: Simplicity and Access

It’s not enough to say that Netflix has programs I can’t miss, even though I believe that’s essential to any content site asking people to pay. But it doesn’t really fit my own reason. I have yet to like one Netflix Original Series, though I think that strategy was brilliant and could not have come at a better time. There is not one movie Netflix must have ready to stream, or even 10, that would determine my membership.

Here’s another part of Netflix’s DNA that doesn’t really keep me around. I’m not all that impressed with the data-driven suggestion algorithms. I am impressed how the company keeps iterating the feature. Last year, it started asking whether it was me or my wife watching at any given time. That helps some, because my wife binges on Buffy and Dr. Who and Game of Thrones while I can never make up my mind except it’s none of that.

So why?

I keep paying Netflix because I know there is always something I can eventually find to watch and, what’s really important, is it works … usually.

This hit home for me the past few months when, all of the sudden, the streaming on Netflix was not so hot. I wasn’t alone in seeing more buffering and the reason why, I suspect, taught a lot of us about how the Internet actually functions. But it was actually the surprise I felt, when I saw that buffering icon, that made me realize how dependable the site usually is. It wasn’t always that way. In the beginning, streaming was just an added benefit to our DVD mail service. As time passed, the DVDs sat unopened as we streamed more often. Then Netflix did some pricing acrobatics, landed on its feet and by that time, something was happening that I somehow just took for granted: I could watch, wherever on whatever I wanted, with few glitches.

For instance, I watched some part the entire Breaking Bad series on my laptop, XBox, tablet and phone via Netflix. Now I Chromecast it too. And I could have watched just one episode on any combination of those devices without having to re-find my place. That’s very cool, but what is even cooler is that Netflix doesn’t confuse me as a user. I know the rules — Netflix makes it clear that not everything will stream forever, but it’s still much better than relying on most alternatives.

Over time, I have also paid for HBO (for the Go), Hulu and Amazon Prime. They have all come and gone, because there’s a weight to those services. What I mean is that it’s not as simple as pay this, get that. I have to subscribe through cable or satellite for Go, the rules seem to change often for what can be shown when for Hulu, I’m supposed to find other value-added features to make Prime seem worth it. Netflix feels lighter. This is what you get: Take or leave it.

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No sports, no on demand,believe me I have been through you need basic cable and HBO go with apple TV. You will have more original award wining series, sport and on demand. Netflix is not accord cutter but ruled by them you pay $87 for Netflix because if you cut the cord cable will jack up t,he price of your Internet .Amazon prime has a large library, 2 days free delivery(pays for your membership if you shop from Amazon)

I disagree- I cut the cord a while back and was getting Internet from the phone company. 6mb/s (often I got substantially less) was sufficient, even to stream netflix onto a 40″ TV (through a HTPC).

Unfortunately phone lines are apparently magical in that they have embedded costs for taxes and various surcharges. I was paying $51/mo for 6mb/s (I think the list price was 35, the other 16 was taxes and fees)

I recently switch to TWC for my Internet needs (still not paying for TV). Now paying $35/month, no contract, no introductory pricing. It feels good to me.

An important point in the cord-cutting is the idea of HTPCs. I’m surprised no one has started marketing one that out of the box has a sufficient video processor, runs XBMC on Ubuntu, and has a TV tuner card.

That TV tuner card is absolutely a game-changer, and they’ve actually been around for several years (mine was sitting idle in my main PC for years until I upgraded computers and used it for a HTPC). I can get my broadcast TV through my computer and onto my TV screen, and use it to record scheduled programs, etc. just like a DVR.